Every February 22, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. In this celebration, we are mindful of the one who has the mission to lead the Church in the following of Christ. Today we join in prayer for the health of Pope Francis, asking the Lord to strengthen and sustain him in his mission. With gratitude, we raise our prayer for his generous dedication and his witness of faith in the service of the Church.
This day is an occasion to recognize the Pope’s ministry as a sign of unity and service in the Church; following the conclusion of the Synod on Synodality, in the Homily during the concluding Mass of the Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, the Pope concluded by inviting all people:
“And today, as we give thanks to the Lord for our journey together, we can admire and venerate the relic of the ancient Chair of St. Peter, meticulously restored. Contemplating it with the awe of faith, let us remember that this is the Chair of love, it is the Chair of unity, it is the Chair of mercy, according to that command Jesus gave to the Apostle Peter, not to dominate others, but to serve them in charity.”
This phrase invites us to celebrate today from a synodal perspective: a Church that walks together, listens and discerns in communion.
From the Chair as a throne to the Chair as a meeting space
Traditionally, the Chair of Peter has been seen as a symbol of authority and teaching. Today, inspired by the Synod, we can reread it as a space for dialogue and service, where authority is exercised from closeness, listening and openness to the Spirit.
If we remember this image, in which the synodal fathers and mothers participated in circular tables where dialogue was central, and even the table where the Pope was barely distinguishable from the others. Undoubtedly, this experience invites us to open ourselves to a new understanding of this feast, where it is not only about a chair that teaches, but one that learns from its people, that welcomes the diversity of voices and seeks paths of communion.
A discerning Church
Pope Francis has reminded us that synodality is not a passing model, but the essence of the Church. Celebrating the Chair of St. Peter after the Synod of Synodality means assuming with greater responsibility the call to be one Church:
- In output, which is not afraid to meet with the peripheries.
- Participatory, where each baptized person has a role in building the Kingdom.
- Merciful and prophetic, illuminating reality with the light of the Gospel.
Concrete Signs for Celebration
To experience this holiday with a new look, we can:
🗨️ Reflecting in community on what was learned at the Synoddiscerning how to apply its fruits in our local realities. For this, it may help to take up again what María Luisa Berzosa González, FI, shared with us in first person and that can be found on our website.
📖 To pray and to support what St. Ignatius explicitly proposes to us in the “Rules for feeling in the Church”. “Rules for feeling in the Church”. in the Spiritual Exercises. They invite a great acceptance of diversity, which we can see, for example, by following the indication to “Praise…”, which appears in 10 of the 18 rules.
🫂 Encourage spaces for dialogue, where all can share their experiences and expectations about the Church we are called to build.where all can share their experiences and expectations about the Church we are called to build.
🌎 Reaffirm our synodal commitmentpromoting more inclusive and participatory ecclesial practices.
May this celebration help us to understand that authority in the Church is not a power that dominates, but a service that sustains the journey of all. Like Peter, all of us today continue to receive Jesus’ question: “Do you love me?” (Jn 21:16), and his answer continues to be a call to each one of us: “Feed my sheep” (Jn21:16)..
Thus, the Chair of St. Peter becomes a symbol of a synodal Church, on the way and in communion; a sign of hope for the men and women of our time.
